Leaf-spring spreader.



A. F. WEISE.

- LEAF'SPRING SPREADER, APPLICATION FILED DEC. l, l9l6.

1 234,838. t Patented July 31, 1917.

dL/L5 5;@ M25/f' AnoHIBALn' r. WEIsE,or"cnrcaeogrmirois,

T o all tvkgmiimagt concern.'

Be itknown that I, ARCHIBALD F. WEISE,

" a citizenof the United States, and resident ers, of which of Chicago, in the county of Cook and :State of Illinois, useful Improvements in Leaf-Spring Spreadtlie following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

' This inientionfrelatesto improvements iii spreaclers "for leaf springs forfthe introduction between several leaves thereof of a lubri cant, 'preventing the rusting together, and

for insuring their freedom of movement upon each other. j

The prime object of my invention, broadly stated, vis to provide a spreader for separating leaf spring structures, which is adjustable with reference to springs differing in width, and also for separating said springs a predetermined distance apart, and thereby preventing their being fractured .or un- 'duly strained, for the introduction of a lubr1- cant between them.

In other words, myinvention has for its object a spreader that may net only be adjusted to spring structures differing in width,

` Vbut that the distanceof separation of the mined and so xed springs of the same width may be predeterthat the spreading stroke and pressure of the .spreading devices are accordingly limited.

1 -Another object of my invention is to have a spreader for the several leaves of a springv structure sol constructed that the spreading jaws thereof may be operated with but a.V single stroke of the actuating means in any Y position to which thejaws may be adjusted,

and incidentally that the jaws Will be autoinatically moved to their open position and away from ytheSpi'1ngs on the return stroke of the actuating nieanstlierefor.

With these endsjin new, vmy invention finds embodiment in eertaiii :features of noveltj inthe construction, combination and ar' rangement of parts 'by whichzth'e said objects and certain otlir o bj eetsare "attained, all as have invented certain new and on when separating Specification of Letters atent. Patented 3 1, 19.17, Application md necemiier 1, 1916.1 serial No'. 134,241. Y

hereinafter fully described with reference to t e accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the claims. Y

Insaid drawings:V Figure 1 is a detailed perspectiveview of a leaf springstructure Withthefspreader-.of

my invention in its the springs.l Fig. Q'is an enlarged side-elevation of the spreader, partly in sections.

ig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional View onv Similar -characters oii reference indicate the saine drawings. Inthe drawings 4 indicates a bar provided parts in the several gures'of the ,with screw-threa ds 5 'extending a substantial portion 'of its length, tov which is vrigidly se- 'cured by any suitable means, and mayl be by pinion 6, the shank 7,0f a fixed jaw 8, which jaw, as shown in thed rawings, is dove-tailed into'the shank, as indicatedat `9A,-

for the purposes of removal for substitution Vand repairs as'niay be. f

Upon the screw-threaded'portion of the bar or rod 4 is a post 10, which is provided with a. slot 11 therethrough, confining a thumb-nut 12, screw-threaded on the bar4 foradjusting the post'lOl back and forth thereon.

The post has therein toward oneend-atransverse perforation, through .whicliis .projected a barrel or cylinderl', one end 'of which is provided with a rectangularslot 14, but. otherwise closed` the other end15 of which is open as indicated at 16, and Shoulder 17, whereby `it is operative position l therei and externally screw-threaded, provided. with a tightened aliggainst,A but free toturn in the post .by means of .ai

perforated nut '1S screwed tliereointor the operation of desirable oi inost convenient.A n

tlie 'lever 2 9 from any angle "Fitting the-barrellis a plunger the f rod 20 'of' whichprojects throughthe nut 18, 'a. retracted spring 2lsurrounding therodQQ andfabiitting against the nut atfone its and at its other end againstv the plunger li), for normally maintaining the piston at 'the limit of its outward strolre. y

Sereni-threaded or otherwise secured to the outer end ci the' rod 20 is the shank 22 of a movable jaw which, like jaw 8, is

for the pui-pose oi' its removal dove-tailed, Y

vided with a lever 29 and adapted (toenga'ge theconvexed end 3i) of' the plunger, and through the plunger move the fixed 'jaw toward the Jaw 8, and to a position forcing both jaws between and separating the leaf fillV knife-edge, and are supported and moved in one and the same plane, so that when springs Bixagainst' the resistance ofthe coil spring 21, as shown in Fig. 2.- I

lWhen the cam 2S' and lever 29 are inthe position indicated in Fig l andv clearly shown in Fig. 2, the cam locked against accidental movement, and in this connection it is proper to observe the length of strokeoi the jaw 23 produced by the cam is always 'the same throughout the adjustment of the jaws now to be described.

For adjusting the device to springs varying in Width the movable jaw isvmoved back or forth, as mayA be, by turning the thumbnut l2 on the screw-threads 5 of thebar l, and likewise for so restrictino' thel movement et the jaw Q3 toward and from the spring structure .viiile the jan' 8 isin contact therewith, as to limit the spreading action of the springs to a degree correspondingly reducing the tendency to unduly strain or fracture any of the springs from the forcible projection ot the separating jaws between them, substantially for the introduction of a lubricant` 'f in other Words, the opposing surfaces of the aWs 8 and Q3 are iiat, converged to the edge of the jaw 8 is held in registered contact between any two springs or a leaf spring structure the jaw 24 may be so adjusted as to have lost motion before beingmoved to similar cont-act with the opposite side or the saine springs, with the result that the distance between which the springs are separated is accordingly reduced, when `for any reason a slight separation is desirable or necessary; but on the other hand, when a Wide separation is preferred the Jaw 23 is moved to uiipinchcd contact with the a rod 25, slidable in a perforation 26- in the' ieseeee 'stroke of the'Y leveris required to operate the spreading-,jaws and lock themagainst accidental detachment; that uit provides for Vthe use of knife-edge lspreading jaws, preiorce otherwise straining or breaking the springs; and that following` the spreading and lubrication of the springs the jaws are automatically released -concurrently with the retraction et the' operating lever for forcingA them between the springs.

' n this connection it should, owever, be observed-that my invention is t erefore not limited to thespecfic details of construction, that is to say, to supporting the movable jaw by means of the sliding rod 2,5, or

from, its opposite position, or the remov- Iventing the concentration of a spreading 'the spring for retracting the movable-jaw ability 0i the spreading jaws from their shank, or other analogous support, andthe adjustability of the post by means of a nut screw-threaded on the bar from which the fixed jaw is supported, and the substitution of other devices adapted to the same purposes, and especially when it i's observed that these details are butv a means for carrying out my invention, as hereinafter setvforth in the claims.`

Having described my 'inventionwhat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l.' leaf spring combination movable jaw, a fixed Jaw, means for actuating the movablejaw in spreader comprisingin aplane common to that of the fixed jaw, a

rotatable barrel, a cam, and an actuating about the axis of said barrel.

2; A spreader for leaf springs comprising in combination a fixed jaw, an externally screw-threaded support therefor, a movvable jaw, a post therefor adjustable upon said support, means "for directing the movement of' the movable jaw'toward and from the fixed jaw'i'n the same plane, and a cam provided with ahand lever for actuating the .lever therefor, pivoted to and rotatable` p ,f11o

l engage-Suhl plunger for moving the movable 'jaw to and locking it in4 its operative posi- .tioI1.v 1

4." A leaf spring.' spreader comprising in i 5 combinationa` fixed jew, a screw-threaded support therefor, "-a movable jaw, Aa post therefor :icljustable'on said support, a guide rod projecting` from the movable jaw through said post, a piston an'd 4a, cam for -10 spreading the movable jaw, and-e spring for retreating the movable j aw from its operf; tive position.

In Witness whereof,I I have hereunto set my hand and aflixed my seal, this'29th day of November, A.D. 1.916.

ARCHIBALD F. ;WEISE. .'[LSJ lVVitIIesses: v

CARRIE E. lBARIIER, JNO. G. ELLIOTT. 

